OKAVANGO DELTA -
GEOGRAPHY PRELIMS
News: Botswana pumps water into
drying channels to aid stranded hippos
What's in the news?
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Hippopotamuses were stuck in a dry channel in the
Okavango Delta, Botswana.
Key takeaways:
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A drought
across southern Africa has been driven mostly by the El Nino weather pattern,
not climate change
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Zambia, Zimbabwe and Malawi have declared a national disaster over the
severe dry spell that started in January and has devastated the
agricultural sector, decimating crops and pastures.
Okavango Delta:
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It is located in north-west Botswana comprises permanent marshlands and seasonally
flooded plains.
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The Okavango delta is formed by the Okavango river,
which originates in the highlands of Angola.
Recognitions:
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The Okavango delta is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Southern Africa.
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The delta was named as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa.
Significant
Characteristics:
1. Endorheic Delta:
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The Okavango Delta is one of a very few large inland delta systems without an
outlet to the sea, known as an endorheic delta
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Its waters drain instead into the desert sands of
the Kalahari Basin.
2. Flooding Pattern:
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One of the unique characteristics of the site is
that the annual flooding from the River Okavango occurs during the dry season,
with the result that the native plants and animals have synchronized their
biological cycles with these seasonal rains and floods.
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It is an exceptional example of the interaction
between climatic, hydrological and biological processes.
3. Inhabitants:
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The delta is home to Africa’s Big Five wildlife species - Savanna elephants, Cape buffaloes,
rhinos, lions and leopards.
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There are also giraffes, zebras, antelopes,
pangolins, 400 bird species and over 1,000 plant species.
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The delta is also the homeland of indigenous people
like the San.